I am deeply saddened by the tragic crash of the Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near Igbokoda in Ondo State, carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, who are now presumably killed.
My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of everyone aboard this aircraft, and to the officers and personnel of the @NigeriaAirforce affected by this terrible tragedy.
Beyond the tragedy itself, however, I am deeply concerned by what we have seen from the crash site. The videos and images emerging from the area raise serious questions about Nigeria’s emergency preparedness and our capacity to respond rapidly and effectively to major disasters.
At a moment when every second matters, a country of more than 200 million people should have properly equipped, highly trained and rapidly deployable emergency-response teams capable of reaching difficult terrain with the equipment required for search, rescue and recovery.
There must be a thorough and transparent investigation into what caused this crash. But we must also investigate the emergency response, viz. how quickly help arrived, what equipment was available, what obstacles responders encountered, and whether lives could have been saved with a better-prepared system.
A disaster is tragic. Being unprepared to respond to one makes the tragedy even more painful.
My thoughts remain with everyone aboard the aircraft, their families, and the communities affected by this devastating incident.
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